Footwear drip stall

ABSTRACT

A stall for retaining footwear, especially wet footwear, includes a basin member having a lower condensation collection portion and an upper footwear placement portion. A grate horizontally traverses the basin at the junction of the upper and lower portions of the basin members. The stall further includes removable walls for compartmentalizing the upper portion of the basin. Optionally, means for facilitating the removal of condensate from the collection portion of the basin may also be included.

United States Patent [191 Callen [4 Nov. 18, 1975 FOOTWEAR DRIP STALL [76] Inventor: Virginia R. Callen, 7202 W.

Carpenter Road, Flushing, Mich. 48433 [22] Filed: Mar. 29, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 345,888

[52] US. Cl. 220/22; 220/1 C [51] Int. Cl. B65D 1/24 [58] Field of Search 220/22, 22.1, 22.3, 20, 220/1 C, DIG. 6, 97 C [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 894,938 8/1908 1,554,589 9/1925 2,671,239 3/1954 2,768,667 10/1956 2,814,427 11/1957 Emery 220/97 C X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 892,677 3/1962 United Kingdom 220/22.3

1,227,847 4/1971 United Kingdom 220/DIG. 6

Primary ExaminerWilliam 1. Price Assistant Examiner-Steven M. Pollard Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Arnold S. Weintraub [57] ABSTRACT A stall for retaining footwear, especially wet footwear, includes a basin member having a lower condensation collection portion and an upper footwear placement portion. A grate horizontally traverses the basin at the junction of the upper and lower portions of the basin members. The stall further includes removable walls for compartmentalizing the upper portion of the basin. Optionally, means for facilitating the removal of condensate from the collection portion of the basin may also be included.

5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent NOV. @1975 3,920,144

FOOTWEAR DRIP STALL BACKGROUND-OF THE INVENTION 1 Field of the Invention I v The present invention pertains to storage means for footwear. More particularly, the present invention relates to storage means for wet footwear. Even more particularly the present invention concerns a device for emplacing wet footwear therewithin which facilitates the drying thereof.

2. Prior Art I There has been developed a plurality of devices for the storage of footwear as taught by the prior art. Generally speaking rack-type storage systems for footwear are usually deployed either during the manufacturing process or during consumer non-use. See inter alia U.S. Pat. Nos. 872,047; 2,152,198; 1,837,882; 2,367,218 and Swiss Pat. No. 96,638.

However, all such pre-conceived rack-type assemblies fail to consider the situation where the footwear becomes wet. More specifically, the prior art has failed to provide for the situation where the footwear becomes wet due to inclement weather conditions or the like.

Known apparatus designed to provide for wet footwear are deficient in that the footwear remains in any condensate or water which may drip off the footwear. Thus, the soles of the footwear item are caused to remain immersed in collected water until the water evaportes or the footwear is removed from the apparatus. Such known apparatus is therefore deficient since it wholly fails to promote and facilitate the drying process.

The present invention, on the other hand, provides a device specifically adapted for use with wet footwear and which is designed to facilitate the drying thereof by isolating thhe footwear from any collected water condensate emanating therefrom.

Thus, the present invention overcomes the deficiencies and problems encountered with the heretofore known devices of the type under consideration herein. I

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention there is provided a stall for footwear, such as, shoes, boots, and the like and which is specifically'adapted for the storage of wet footwear.

The stall hereof generally comprises a basin member having first and second portions. The first or lower portion of the basin member is a condensate collection portion which collects and retains water or like condensate dripping off the footwear.

The second or upper portion of the basin member is a footwear placement portion in which the footwear is placed after removal from the users foot.

A removable grate horizontally traverses the basin at the junction of the upper and lower portion thereof.

The devicehereof further includes removable wall partitions for compartmentalizing the upper portion of the basin member. By compartmentalization of the upper portion, each compartment thusly formed can accomodate a pair or pairs of footwear to facilitate identification and retaking thereof, thereby avoiding a state of disarray within the stall.

Optionally, means, such as drain spouts, may be formed within the lower portion of the basin member to facilitate the removal of collected water therefrom.

For a more complete understanding of the present invention reference is made to the following detailed description and accompanying drawing. In the drawing like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is partially exploded perspective view of the device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view, partially broken, of the device of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a broken cross-sectional view of the device of the present invention taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 of no.3; and

FIG. 5 is a broken perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference now to the drawing and in particular FIG. 1, it is seen that the present invention or stall, generally indicated at 10, includes a basin member 12. The stall 10 further includes a grate l4 and a plurality of removable walls or partitions 16 which defines means to compartmentalize the stall 10.

With more particularity and with reference to FIGS. l-3, the basin 12 includes a base 18, a pair of spaced apart substantially parallel sidewalls 20 and 22, respectively. The basin 12 also includes a pair of spaced apart substantially parallel end walls 24 and 26, respectively.

The base 18, sidewalls 20, 22 and end walls 24, 26 are integrally formed to provide a substantially rectangular open-topped member 28.

A curled rim 30 is integrally formed with and at the free ends of the sidewalls and end walls. Thus, the rim 30 defines a continuous peripheral grasping means 32 to facilitate the use of the stall 10.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 each of the walls 20, 22, 24 and 26 has a constricted portion proximate the base 18. The constricted portions provided on each of the walls are substantially similarly formed so that the member 28 has a first or lower portion 34 and a second or upper portion 36 defined therewith.

Due to the constricted portions of the walls, each wall has a ridge 38 which connects the constricted portion thereof to the non-constricted portion thereof. The ridges 38 formed with-each wall cooperate to define an internal peripherally-extending shoulder 40 within the confines of the member 28 and at the junction of the upper portion 36 and lower portion 34.

As will become apparent hereinafter, it is only essential that with the opposed pair of sidewalls 20, 22 or the opposed pair of end walls 24, 26 be provided with the I constricted portions which thereby define the shoulder Furthermore, it is" apparent that in lieu of the constrictions and the shoulder formed thereby, an internal peripheral bead can be formed within the basin which would function substantially similarly to the shoulder. By employing the bead each of the walls can be formed as asu bstantially planar member.

' Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 the present invention includes a grate 14. The grate 14 generally comprises a plurality of parallel and perpendicular spaced apart members which cooperate to define the grid-like grate l4. The grate I4 is adapted to removably seat on the shoulder 40 formed internally of the basin 12. Thus, the grate l4 traverses the interior of the basin 12 at the unction of the lower portion 34 and upper portion 36 thereof. The grate 14 not only serves to divide the upper portion and lower portion of the base 12, but functions to have a foot-wear item 42 placed thereupon when the item 42 is emplaced or positioned within the basin 12.

in order to achieve compartmentalization of the stall a plurality of removable walls or partitions 16 are provided and which extend between the sidewalls 20, 22. The partitions 16 are substantially equal in length to the length of the upper portion 36 of the basin 12. Compartmentalization of the stall 10 is desirable in order to maintain any pair of footwear items in close proximity to one another and to thereby promote easy identification of an owners pair of footwear and to prevent a state of disarray within the stall 10.

As shown in FIG. 4. a plurality of retaining means 44 maintain the removable walls 16 in fixed position when disposed within the basin 12. Each of the retaining means 44 comprises a pair of closely spaced embossments 46, 48 formed on the sidewalls 20, 22. The embossments 46, 48 cooperate to define a gap 50 therebetween. The gap 50 functions as a slideway into which the partition 16 is insertable. The partition 16 is retained in the slide-way by the embossments 46, 48. The embossments are, preferably, integrally formed on their respective side walls and extend substantially equal to the longitudinal length of the upper portion 36 the member 28.

To retain any one partition 16 in fixed position a pair of opposed retaining means 44 are provided on respective sidewalls. substantially as shown in FIG. 2.

lt is apparent from the preceding that the size of any compartment can be varied by pre-determined selection and placement of the partitions 16.

in deploying the stall 10, a wet footwear item 42 or pair of footwear items is placed within the basin l2 atop the grate 14. As condensation 52 drips off the item 42 it is collected in the lower portion 34 of the basin 12 l FIG. 3). Because the grate 14 seats above the lower portion 34 by virtue of the shoulder 40, any footwear item 42 is constantly displaced or isolated from the collected condensate 52. By so preventing the footwear item from being immersed or otherwise in contact with the collected condensate the item dries more rapidly and efficiently, especially the soles of the item which would ordinarily not dry out until water evaporated out therefrom.

in the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1-4, the collected condensate is disposed of by removing any partitions, and the grate from the basin and merely inverting same to drain the condensate therefrom.

To prevent the basin from making indentations in a flooring, such as carpeting, raising means, such as, embossments 54 may be provided at the corners of the base 18 as shown in FIG. 3.

With reference now to FIG. 5, there is depicted therein an alternate embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment the lower portion 110 of the basin 112 is provided with drain means 114 including an aperture 116. Although the aperture is depicted as being provided in the end wall 118 it can be located in any convenient location in the lower portion 110.

The drain means 114 further includes a releasable snap cap which sealingly closes the aperture 116 in a manner well-known.

By providing the drain means disposal of the collected condensate is facilitated since the basin 12 or 112 need not be completely inverted.

In practicing the present invention it is advantageous that the basin be integrally formed as a unitary member. Preferably, the basin, as well as the grate and the partitions are molded from any suitable lightweight synthetic resinous material such as, polyethylene, a polyvinylic compound, such as, polyvinyl chloride, nylon, polyurethane, and the like.

It is apparent from the preceding that there has been described herein a device which promotes the rapid and efficient drying of wet footwear by isolating the footwear from any condensate dripping off therefrom and which can be adapted to compartmentalize a plurality and which can be adapted to compartmentalize a plurality of footwear items placed therewithin.

Having thus described my invention what is claimed 1. In a stall for a footwear item for removably storing a footwear item therewithin, the improvement comprising:

a. an open-topped basin member having an upper portion and a lower portion and a base, the member having a pair of opposed substantially parallel sidewalls and a pair of opposed substantially parallel end walls,

b. a shoulder formed within the basin at the junction of the upper portion and the lower portion,

c. a removable grate which seats atop the shoulder and which horizontally traverses the interior of the basin member,

d. means for compartmentalizing the upper portion of the basin member into a plurality of compartments, the means for compartmentalizing comprising a plurality of pairs of retaining means and a plurality of partitions, the partitions being removably retained in the upper portion by the pairs of retaining means such that each compartment removably stores at least one pair of the footwear items, therewithin, and

e. drain means formed in the lower portion of the basin to remove water therefrom.

2. The stall of claim 1 wherein the retaining means comprises a pair of closely spaced apart embossments, the embossments having a gap therebetween, and wherein the partition is insertable into the gap.

3. The stall of claim 1 wherein the base, the side walls and end walls are integrally formed and wherein each of the walls has a constricted portion, each constricted portion cooperating to define the lower portion.

4. The stall of claim 3 which further comprises a ridge interconnecting the constricted portion of each of the walls to the non-constricted portions thereof, each of the ridges cooperating to define the shoulder.

5. The stall of claim 1 wherein the base and the walls are integrally formed to define a unitary member, and wherein the shoulder comprises an internal peripheral bead. 

1. In a stall for a footwear item for removably storing a footwear item therewithin, the improvement comprising: a. an open-toppeD basin member having an upper portion and a lower portion and a base, the member having a pair of opposed substantially parallel sidewalls and a pair of opposed substantially parallel end walls, b. a shoulder formed within the basin at the junction of the upper portion and the lower portion, c. a removable grate which seats atop the shoulder and which horizontally traverses the interior of the basin member, d. means for compartmentalizing the upper portion of the basin member into a plurality of compartments, the means for compartmentalizing comprising a plurality of pairs of retaining means and a plurality of partitions, the partitions being removably retained in the upper portion by the pairs of retaining means such that each compartment removably stores at least one pair of the footwear items, therewithin, and e. drain means formed in the lower portion of the basin to remove water therefrom.
 2. The stall of claim 1 wherein the retaining means comprises a pair of closely spaced apart embossments, the embossments having a gap therebetween, and wherein the partition is insertable into the gap.
 3. The stall of claim 1 wherein the base, the side walls and end walls are integrally formed and wherein each of the walls has a constricted portion, each constricted portion cooperating to define the lower portion.
 4. The stall of claim 3 which further comprises a ridge interconnecting the constricted portion of each of the walls to the non-constricted portions thereof, each of the ridges cooperating to define the shoulder.
 5. The stall of claim 1 wherein the base and the walls are integrally formed to define a unitary member, and wherein the shoulder comprises an internal peripheral bead. 